Reproducing piano



May 26, 1925. y

F. L, YOUNG RIPRODUCING lIANO Filed July 1. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR Mayv 26, 192s.7 1 539,454

IN VEN T0 A TTORNE Y Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITEDg STATES PATENTVOFFICE. y

FRANCIS LINCOLN YOUNG, F YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 THE AEOLIAN COM- PANY,A CORPORTON CONNECTICUT.

REPRODUCING PIANO.

Application filed July 1,

To all whom t may concer/ri:

Be itknown that I, FRANCIS LiLNooLN YOUNG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and

resident oi' New York, in the county of Neiv York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reproducing Pianos,of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in reproducing pianos andmore particularly to improved means for adapting the instrument to playinterchangeably with various makes of music-sheets having diiferentkinds and arrangements of yexpression 5 controlling perforations.

The drawings illustrate one of the preferred embodiments my invention isadapted to take. In them, Fig. 1 is a vertical vsection partly inelevation through the 20 tracker mechanism, etc., within my invention,said figure also showing in vertical section the cut-oil valve boxesused in connection with the foregoing, and further showingdiagrammatically the more important 1" operative parts of a reproducingpiano including a diagrammatic showing of the pneumatic connectionsbetween the related parts of all of the foregoing; Fig. 2 is a face Viewof the main and supplemental trackers of Fig. 1,-in other words, a viewof same as looked at from the left hand side of said Fig. 1, .the middleportion of the main tracker bar being broken away to save room in thedrawing; and F ig, 3 is a top lan view of part of the devices shown in4iig. 1 including the main and supplemental trackers and related partsand one oitl the cut-ofi' valve boxes, only one of the supplementaltrackers being shown as aforesaid in top plan view, the other, namelysupplemental tracker 11, being shown in horizontal section taken throughits row ot expression controlling ducts in Fig. 1.

Describing now my invention as illus- "i trated by the particularembodiment thereof in the drawings, 1 is the main tracker bar with itsnote-playing ducts 2. Projecting longitudinally from each end of saidmain tracker bar are integral spaced apart exten- 'W sions 3 and lconnected at their ends by the transverse piece 5.

On the back of each-piece 5 is secured a bracket 6, therebeing alignedbearings in said brackets which yreceive the ends of a 1922. sei-iai No.572,225.

rock shaft 7 located behind the tracker bar.

Mounted on and rrigidly secured to this rock shaft are the brackets. 8.and 9, the forward ends of which respectively'support the supplementaltracker sectionsl() and .11 within the rectangular'openings 12 attheends of the main tracker bar 1, the said rock shaft permitting saidsupplemental sections 10 and 11 to be adjusted transversely relativelyto the tracker v1 to bring at will any of the rows 14, 15 or 16 ofexpression ducts in said supplemental sections into proper playingposition relatively to the note-ducts of the tracker 1.

The tracker 1 and the sections 10 and l1 are all transversely crowned ontheir active or music-sheet contacting face (compare Fig. 1), thecrowning being on substantially the arc of a circle described about thelongitudinal axis of the rock shaft 7 so that the music-sheet will makeproper contact with the ducts of the main tracker and of thesupplemental sections in spite of transverse adjustments given to thelatter. Fig. 1 shows a music-sheet 21 in playing position on thetracker, the part 21a of said sheet being supposed to be on amusic-spool, and the part-21b being supposed to be wound on the usualtake-up spool.

Row 15 is shown in proper playing position. The other rows 14 and 16 aresupposed to be out of play, row 14 being one notch above playingposition and row 16 being one notch below playing position. The notchesreferred to are the notches 17 formed in the side of one of the endpieces 5, best shown in Fig. 2. These are severally adapted to bereleasably engaged by rib 18 on the back of a leail spring member 19located4 in a space provided for the purpose between the piece 5 and theadjacent supplemental tracker section 11, the inner end oi" said member19 being fixed to the bracket 9 (F ig. 3), and its outer end beingprovided with an operating knob 20. Thus, means is provided constitutinga handle for the operator to use in simultaneously adjusting thesections 10 and 11 to bringthe desired row of expression controllingducts into play and to lock same in position against unintentionaldisplacement.

The broken row of ducts 14 shown in the drawings correspond and areadapted to play with expression perforations of the socalled Duo Artmusic-rolls, The other rows 15 and 16 may be assumed to correspond andbe adapted to play the expression perforations of two other kinds ormakes oi reproducing piano music-rolls, so that the aforesaid trackerbar construction is capable oi playing said three different kinds ofreproducing piano music-rolls.

Whichever of the rows of expression ducts 14, 15 or 16 is selected to beoperative, the other rows are automatically rendered inoperative so thatthe ducts of said latter rows will not be aifected by the passage ofmusic-sheet perforations over them. The means Jfor accomplishing thiswill nov: be described, that shown being one convenient form of saidmeans. Y

Qi, 25 and 26 are cut-ofil valve boxest one tor each row et' expressionducts 14, 15 and 16. Fig. 1 shows these bol-ies in vertical crosssection, and Figu 3 shows part ot one of them, namely, pai-t ot bor; 25,in plan view. All oi the box-es are of the same construction so that thedescription ot one sufices for all.

Each box contains as many enclosed circular chambers 2l' as there areexpression ducts in the row 14, 15 or 16 to which the given box relates.4F01 instance7 boi: 25 will lhave nine of such chambers 2T (only three,however, beingl shown in Fig. 3 Jfor the sake oi' simplicity) severallyconnected to the nine ducts ci the row 15 by tubes 28.

Every chamber 2T is divided into an upper and l wer part by a diaphragmor pouch 1ilvery tube QS connects with a duct Q9 which opens into the1upper pouch chamber. headingl from every upper chamber is another duct30, Then the pouch 13 is up3 t is adapted to close the mouths of saidducts 29 and 30.

31 is a duct which connects with all ot the lower pouch chambers in thegiven cutoff box.

Q40, 250 and Q60 are three ports on the tace ot the block 32 being themouths of three duct-s in said block whose other ends are severallytube-connected, as best shown in 1, to the ducts 31 oic the hoz-:es @eland Q6 respectively.

fla is a rearward extension Afiom the bracket 9, said extensioncarrying` the port 9b being` one end ot an elbow tube 9c whose other endis connected by a tube S3 to the suction or exhaust d evice said port ilbeing adapted to be caried by said extension 9a into communication withone at a time ot the ports 24th 25() and 260. the others remaining opento the atmospl ere.

lt will be understood that the ducts 29 and and the tubes 28 are kept.normally on suction by reason ot their connection with the exhansterthrough interveningl pneumatic connections in the saine manner that thetracker tubes connected with the note-playing ducts of the tracker barof the ordinary piaycr piano are kept` normally on suction.

imrtli x, it will he undcrstoml that whenever there sucion in the lowerpouch chambers, the pneumatic p1 .ie on both sides oi" the pouches is e...lzed and the ponches drop and do no. cnt of communication between theducts Qi) and S6. This is the condition which happens to he shown inlief; Q5 (Figi. 1l diie to the esiliati pori, 9b being in communicationwith the port 2543 which in turn is connected. as prevonslj,7dei-:cribedv` with all ot the lower pouch. ch: bers in the box This res"s in the ducts Q9 and 30 in said bei; l5 being pnt into ccizimunicationwithout any ohstrurtion by the pouches 13,---which in tuV results inmalting operative the related row 1a ot expression controllino' ducts.

Sin'iilarly, the row 1l or the row 16 oi' expression controllingl ductsis brought into proper playing; iosition relatively to the note ducts inthe main tracker, lthe mere act ot makinr this adinstn'ientwillrendering said row ot ducts l! tive to function with the expre ations otthe given music-sheet .incense said adjustment will bring the walnut.,-Apfurt 9b into conm'iunication resp-tc! velt' with the port 240 or theport Q60, and will ielease the pouches ot the box 2J; or the bora 2Jrespectively, depending upon which row ot ducts 14 or 16 has beenadjusted into playing position.

Vice versa. the rows ot expression controllingl ducts which are not inplaying` position arey thereinv antoniatirallv iendcred inoperative.This is the case with rows i-l and 16 in Fin: i. and results troni thetact, that the ports 2l!) and tf) are open to the atmosphere and,therefore. all oi! the ponche; 13 in the related cut-eti hoi-es Q-land:26 are pressed against the months ot thi` ducts Si) and 30 and have cutotiA conmninication between said ducts and theieiore have renderedinoperative said related rows lland 16 of expression controlling ducts.

Referring' now to the rest ot the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, yet to hedescribed. l's may take so many 'forms that l have shown them onlydiagrannnaticaliv. Thus. il?, represents any usual pneumati'.: actiontor actuating` the hammer mechanism ot' the piano.

36 is any usual or prchrred torni ot et pression hoi; operativelyconnected wiih said pnenin tic action 'lor controlling the stril-:inytorce ot the individual pneunmtitactions on the related han'imermechanisms, said ei;- pression bor; heiney itself controlled trom theexpression pertorations in a suitable musicsheet co-acting with one ofthe rows 1st, 15 or 16 ot expression ductsl` whichever row is inoperative position and is adapted to play said music-sheet.

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,The exhauster 34 is operativelyy connected to the pneumatic actionthrough the expression box 35 as shown.

"37 is any well known Aform of valve box Moperatively connecting thecut-out boxes 24, f a 25'and 26 with theexpression box 36 and vwith softand sustaining pedal operating means 41 and 42, etc., usual to theseinstruments. Although there are three of these 1 cut-out boxes, thereneed be only one valve box 37,`because, as already explained, only oneoi said cut-out boxes is operative at one 4time to operativclyconnectthe given active 'ii one duct 30 of box 26, all three of said ducts 30being then operatively connected by tube 39 with one of the valvemechanisms 37 in the valve box 37. .s

In'the same way', other duct-s 30 respectively from the boxes 24, 25 and26, will or may be inter-connected in sets of three, and in turnconnected tothe respective valve mechanisms in box 37 adjacent saidvalve mechanism 37,

Although I have shown and described the rows 14, 15 and 16 of expressioncontrolling ducts as operating through one and the same expression box36, it will be obvious that I could make them operate through threedifferent kinds or constructions of expression boxes, the latter methodhaving the advantage that expression boxes could be chosen respectivelyadapted to render with thefbest possible effect the expressionperforations of the different kinds of musicrolls, but said duplicationof expression boxes will, of course, have the disadvantage of addingthat much more mechanism to the piano with corresponding increase in itscost and its complication. Also, there may be a special valve box 37 foreach expression box 36.

It is possible that other changes and modifications may be made in theillustrative embodiment of my improvements which will, nevertheless,still be within the scope and spirit of my invention and within thescope and spirit of the annexed claims, and as such are intended to becovered thereby; also that certain features may be used without others.

I have happened to illustrate an embodiment of my invention adapted toplay threel kinds of music-rolls but, of course, the invention isadapted to be embodied to playy two or any greater number of kinds ofrolls by correspondingly reducing or increasing the number of rows ofexpression control-` ling ducts and the cut-off boxes and connections,etc.

What I claim is:

1. Means ttor adapting a reproducing piano to play interchangeably withmusicsheets 'having different kinds and arrangements ot expressioncontrolling perforations, said means comprising a main tracker barhaving note playing ducts; a supplemental section having plural rows ofexpression controlling ducts, the said rows being respectively adaptedto co-act with the expression controlling pertorations of saiddifferent. kinds of music-sheets; said supplemental section beingsupported for transverse adjustment at the end of the main tracker barto permit any of its rows of expression ducts to be brought into properplaying position relatively to the note ducts in. the main tracker bar.

2. Means for adapting a reproducing kpiano to play interchangeably withmusicsheets having different kinds and arrangements of'expressioncontrolling perforations, said means comprising a main tracker barhaving note playingy ducts; a supplemental section having plural rows ofexpression controlling ducts, the said rows being respectively adaptedto co-act with the expression controlling 'pertorations of said diferentkinds of music-sheets; said supplemental section being supported fortransverse adjustment at the end of the main tracker bar to permit anyof its rows of expression ducts to be brought into proper playingposition relatively to the note ducts in the main tracker bar; and meanswhich automatically renders inoperative all expression ducts except theparticular row which has been brought into said proper playing position.

3. Means for adapting` a reproducing piano to play interchangeably withmusicsheets having diiierent kinds and arrangements ot expressioncontrolling perforations, said means comprising a main tracker barhaving note playing ducts; a supplemental section having plural rows ofexpression controlling chiots; the said rows being respectively adaptedto co-act with the expression controlling perforations of said differentkinds of music-sheets; said supplemental section being supported fortransverse adjustment at the end of the main tracker bar to permit anyof its rows of expression ducts to be brought into proper playingposition relatively to the note ducts in the main tracker bar, therebeing one of said adjustable supplemental sections at each end of themain tracker, said sections being structurally united so that thetransrerse adjustment of the one section carries with it. the other.

4. Means for adapting a reproducing piano to play interchangeably withmusicsheets having different kinds and arrangements of expressioncontrolling perforarions, said means comprising :i main tracker larlnwinof no'e 'ivingr clue's: a supplemental section haring' plural rowsof expression eonrollinff dues, the said rows hein;` respectivelyaflzrpcml to Co-uet with lli. expression eonrollin; perforations o' aldifierent ki nls of music-sheets; said si-zpplenienzil fen being`supported 'for transverse. adj rent yat. lio end of 'he niain trackerbnr to perniil' any of its rows N5 exp; on duets to he brought intoproper playing' position relatively to the note fjlu'z's in ille maintracker har; note-souneling means operruirelj: connected with saidflraes in the main trucker; and expression 7onrellinfr ineens operaivelyconnected with the rows of (lues in the supplemental seelion.

Means 'for adapting' :i reproducing piano to play interchangeably withniusiesheets having differentl kinds and arrangements of expression'controllingperforations( saifl means Comprising a nniin Tracker imhaving note playing duets; a suppleire (or v io pernii any oi' its rowsof exi essun rs to 'ne brought into proper pm rng' if. on relatively tothe note duets in the main irrler liar; incl inenns adapt ed selectivelyto render inoperative all ex pression duets except the particular row'li has been brought into said proper v'Wing posiior; noie-soundingmeans op- ,uiirelf connected with sind duets in the main trucker; andexpression controlling; isf-ns (ig'ermirelv eonneeted with the rows ofduels in the supplemental section.

Signed at New York in the county of N ew York and Slate of New York this30th doy of June A. D. 1922.

FRANCIS LINCOLN YOUNG.

